A rub for all seasons
At Kempinski the Spa they determine if you're a winter or a spring and choose the remedies to match
You might be in the habit of deciding in advance what treatment you want at a spa, but it’s best to enter the Kempinski the Spa with a “surprise me” attitude. The staff there is good at figuring out what your body really needs.
The Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok’s seventh-floor spa is a first for the Asian chain. It offers top-of-the-line European-style treatments combined with local remedies, all packaged up in its own Elemental Herbology product range.
You begin by filling out a questionnaire. There’s nothing mysterious: They get right to the point so they can assess what’s needed – blood pressure problems? Pregnant? (Of course, if you’re three months’ pregnant or less, you’re told, “See you another time!” and shown the door.)
A therapist tots up the pros and cons and presents you with a “menu” of treatments, all of which sound delicious.
The Kempinski spa goes in for massages geared to your own personal “season”, reasoning that we should be attuned to its shifting rhythms. So your personal assessment produces a spring, summer, autumn or winter menu.
It turned out I’m a winter person, so I got some warm, vigorous massaging with plenty of firm pressure, all the better to relax my stiff neck and shoulders and at the same time reduce stress.
The massage lasts 90 minutes, but we’d only just begun and I could already tell I was getting the right treatment. The therapist knew just what to do and where to expend her muscle power. She spoke only to occasionally ask if I was comfortable.
I was beyond comfortable when we moved on to an oiled leg massage. I became deeply relaxed, and even more so as she gently applied an adapted reflexology technique to the soles of my feet.
I was impressed by the Kempinski’s rules of the blanket. The therapists are well trained to respect personal privacy and pay careful attention to ensure patrons stay covered where needed.
My wintry massage ended with a scalp rub to boost blood circulation and scour away the last of my work-related stress.
If your assessment turns up a different season, the finer details and techniques change accordingly. I was told that “summer people” are subjected to cooling treatments, including the use of a cold stone. “Spring people” need more detoxification and a good goosing along of the blood circulation.
Just as the seasons of the year embody nature’s harmony, being attentive to your own personal seasons ensures that you keep step with your natural rhythms.
Also on offer at Kempinski the Spa are such specific treatments as the Siam Royal Experience. “We get a lot of foreigners asking for a Thai traditional therapeutic massage, and this is one of our most popular,” says the hotel’s Simpim Sugunnasil.
YEAR-ROUND
Kempinski the Spa is on the seventh floor of the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok and open from 10 to 10.
Prices range from Bt3,530 to Bt9,650. The seasonal massage costs Bt4,238.
Best to book in advance at (02) 162 9000 and get there 15 minutes before your appointment time.
